Do cruises really make you fat?

With Christmas far behind us, the drudgery of dry January and New Year diets and a long winter to look forward to, a sunshine getaway starts to look appealing around this time of year and there are bargains to be had on Caribbean cruises.

Your winter sun holiday could have an unexpected effect on your waistline though: according to an independent 2012 poll, the typical cruise passenger puts on an average of a pound a day, adding a whole stone to their waistline over a two-week holiday.

It’s easy to see why some people opt to keep their wallets in their pockets and instead stay onboard, spend money on beer rather than water and overindulge on the all-inclusive restaurants and 24-hour buffets: though you've paid up for an all-inclusive experience, shore excursions cost extra, you'll have to pay for bottled water and even using the internet can weigh in at a whopping 50p per minute.

If you’re not careful a Caribbean getaway could see an inversely proportionate transfer of pounds from pocket to paunch. With this in mind I thought I’d see if I could push the scales back in my favour and pull off the balancing act of actually losing weight and saving cash at the same time.

Pilates of the Caribbean
In between arriving at stunning Caribbean islands there are a good few long days at sea with nothing to look at but the distant horizon. There may be a myriad of diversions in the form of shows, cinema and organised silliness on offer, but these attractions are often pretty sedate and it can be equally tempting to order all-inclusive, freshly made pizza to your room, sink piña coladas and laze around the poolside sunbathing all day before heading to Marco Pierre White’s on-board restaurant for dinner... and why shouldn’t you once in a while? You are on holiday after all.

On sea days I decided to check out the gym, which was well equipped with free-weights, machines, rowing, cross trainers, exercise bikes and treadmills. I found there were beginners’ Pilates and yoga sessions on offer, each for £5, which seemed pretty reasonable, so I learnt all about downward-facing dog and the warrior pose during a half-hour class. Immediately afterwards there was a complimentary taster session for the ‘boot camp’ fitness course. Naturally, there was an upsell of a further four classes for £55, but the introductory lesson was an exhausting, full-length high-intensity, calorie-killing workout in its own right – and free! Teamed with half an hour’s cardio and another 30 minutes on the weights machines and I reckoned I had carte blanche to kick back for the rest of the day and have a cocktail or two. You can always burn more calories on the dance floor each night.

Cruise control (... portion control, that is)
The advantage of a two-hour morning trip to the gym on a sea day was that, by the time I made it down to the breakfast buffet for some fresh fruit, granola and yoghurt, it was brunch time and I ended up too full for lunch, meaning I skipped a meal and cut down my calorific intake for the day too. It may sound like a hardship, but when everyone else on board headed off to the restaurants for their midday meal, I found myself with a full belly and my pick of all the now-vacant sun-loungers. Keeping on a slightly different schedule to the rest of the ship’s passengers certainly had some distinct advantages: I also found the hot tubs were always deserted around dinner time.

On days when I was ashore visiting the Caribbean islands, I found a hearty protein-rich breakfast on-board was enough to last me until dinner time because – with a limited amount of time on land – I often didn’t want to interrupt the fun of sightseeing or snorkelling just to find somewhere to eat. This also meant money saved by eating for free on the ship, so I could occasionally treat myself to the liner’s more swanky à la carte dining offered at an extra charge in the evenings.

There’s no joy in total abstinence and self-denial though, so you shouldn’t make a habit of skipping meals and you should most certainly sample the local cuisine on the islands to get a real taste of the Caribbean. Just be conscious of the fact that, with staples of rice, breadfruit, dasheen, cassava, yams and sweet potato, the local diet can be quite high in carbohydrates. Enjoy in moderation, maybe.

Don’t dive headlong into the drink
Alcohol wasn’t included in my package and isn't likely to be on yours, so there’s (sadly) no excuse to get as much down you as you can on the pretence of getting your money’s worth.

It’s a pretty well-known fact that alcoholic drinks are usually chock-full of calories so you could always consider saving your waistline – and a fair bit of cash – by having the odd dry day. Booze, bikinis and beaches may seem to go hand-in-hand, but swimming, soaring temperatures and getting sozzled isn't always a great combination, so why not try drinking plenty of water rather than wine when you’re out and about?

When you are having a big night out it’s worth remembering that the traditional sea and sun staples such as piña coladas, margheritas and the like are often packed full of sugary, creamy ingredients that only add to the calorie content of your drink.

While you should certainly treat yourself to some Caribbean concoctions while you’re away (I certainly developed something of a taste for drinks that would make me look like Del Boy Trotter in my local boozer), sticking for the most part to white wine, vodka tonics and shots can help keep holiday weight off. If that seems a little like depriving yourself of fun, you could always opt for sharing a bottle of bubbles with your companions.

Go ashore to be sure
The optional excursions onto the islands can sometimes seem quite pricey when booked on board, meaning a surprising number of passengers don’t venture out onto the lush islands of the Caribbean. It may be cheaper to stay on board and drink exported lager with some friends you’ve made who live just down the road from you back in Blighty, but it hardly counts as seeing the Caribbean... and your bathroom scales won’t thank you for it.

It's well worth forking out some cash for one of the well-organised trips, though if you're on a tight budget savings can often be made on many of the islands by swerving the on-board excursions and booking a tour, taxi or renting your own ride at the dockside.

Jeep or car rental is pretty reasonably priced in places like Antigua or the stunning Tortola where it gives you the freedom to explore less-visited bays and coves like the latter's beautiful, secluded Smugglers Cove. The only tourist facility at this beach is a friendly man called Nigel, who expertly barbecues food and mixes incredible cocktails from the back of his car, so you've no choice but to eat like Atkins then swim off the calories afterwards.

On the beautiful island of St Kitts, you could take a ride up to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Brimstone Hill Fortress, and work up a sweat clambering around these historic battlements and the surrounding hills.

Renting a taxi-van can also be a cost-effective way of moving around. Despite their ‘taxi’ status, the cabbies will often tout for more business once they’ve got you in the back of the van, trying to arrange an impromptu tour to suit all passengers. It’s worth double-checking the route, what you’ll be visiting and approximate timings before setting out to avoid disappointment should your fellow passengers have different plans to yours though.

I tried a taxi-tour in unspoilt Dominica where we visited the beautiful Emerald Pool and the Caribbean’s last remaining Carib Indian settlement. The indigenous Caribs were all but wiped out by invading Europeans, and – talking of keeping weight off – they apparently kept svelte on a diet of human flesh (we taste like pork, if you’re wondering).

If you’re feeling really frugal and fancy living like a local then you can always try catching a bus, which are often precisely the same mini-vans serving as tourist taxis but cost just a few dollars and are far more cramped, with the number of seats not limiting the number of passengers they’ll take and always room for one more aboard even if they have to sit on someone's lap.

In places like Barbados and St Maarten the prices for tours and transport can get significantly pricier. While in Barbados it may still be worth the money to hire a vehicle to go and marvel at the rugged east coast and places like Bathsheba, where the huge waves - perfect for surfing - crash against bizarre rock formations that stud the beach and jut out of the sea, on islands like Grand Turk most of the notable sights are situated around the dock so you would do just as well to do your swimming and snorkelling around there.

Weigh anchor
I spent two weeks cruising around the Caribbean. In that time I skipped a few lunches, but never felt hungry because of it. I chose the healthy option for most breakfasts, but had the occasional fry-up and ate pretty much whatever I wanted for dinner and had dessert every day. I visited the gym on sea days but never sacrificed having fun to go there and never went to the gym on shore days. I explored the islands by car, taxi and bus and I’m pretty sure I saved money by doing so and got to enjoy lots of calorie-burning swimming, walking and snorkelling. I did enjoy several cocktails and some champagne, but I didn’t drink every day. In short, I enjoyed everything in moderation.

And how much weight had I put on by the end of my trip? Actually, I’d lost 3lb. So, do cruises make you fat? No.
Overindulgence at unlimited buffets makes you fat.

P&O Cruises is offering a 15-night Caribbean fly cruise on Ventura (N405A) from £1,599 a person for a Getaway Fare. Departing 1 March 2014, the price includes return flights from the UK, a 14-night cruise in an inside cabin, full-board meals and entertainment. Departing from and returning to Barbados, ports of call are St Vincent, Dominica, St Lucia, Antigua, St Kitts, Grand Turk, Tortola and St Maarten. To book, visit www.pocruises.co.uk, call 0843 373 0111 or contact your local travel agent.